We may be able to attend one of the “8 of the Best Colleges” road shows in our area, but it’s going to be a bit inconvenient (location/timing) so I wanted to check to see if anyone has attended one recently, and what their experience was.
It’s a very interesting collection of the type of LACs my kid is interested in, so it’s not about whether the schools themselves are worth checking out, just about how the event is run and whether it’s worth the extra effort to get there, or better to just connect with the schools some other way.
Claremont McKenna College
Colorado College
Connecticut College
Grinnell College
Haverford College
Kenyon College
Macalester College
Sarah Lawrence College
We attended too long ago to remember specifics - but I do know that demonstrated interest mattered to at least some of the schools on the list including Grinnell, where my S ended up. This is an comparatively easy, low cost way to do that, especially if a road trip isn’t in the family budget. (S or D signs in with the schools that they are interested in.) And, at least at that time, he met the head of admissions and had a chance to talk with him a bit. It also exposed him to a few school that he hadn’t been considering in addition to the ones that he knew he was interested in. Overall, I think it was a good use of our time.
We attended one as my D was interested in Mac, Haverford and Conn College at the time. There were a lot of kids there, but there was also time for my D to chat briefly with each admissions person and get their cards. It was good way for her to learn to talk about herself with admissions staff. They also did a panel where each admissions person talked about their respective schools. The funny thing is, at the time, my D wasn’t interested in a more rural liberal arts college so she didn’t talk to the Grinnell person. Fast forward a few months and she visited Grinnell on a tour while checking out Mac and Carleton. She’s now a first year at Grinnell and couldn’t be happier! Perfect fit.
We did end up attending, and it was very useful. They led with a general introduction about what the schools had in common, a follow-up about commonalities in their admissions approach (with a side of gentle reassurance), then each school had about 7 minutes to present. The quality of the presentations varied somewhat, and it felt long on a school night with homework calling, but on the whole it was very useful for any kid interested in one or more of those schools. For those schools we’d visited already, the presentations were on point, and for those we hadn’t yet, enlightening. And it wasn’t too crowded, so my kid got a chance to chat with the admissions reps at the schools that caught his fancy.
I’m intrigued that two Grinnell parents have weighed in. I wouldn’t say it’s at the top of my kid’s list, but there’s definite interest… What do/did your kids most like about it?
@porcupine98 – my D has only been there for a month so N’s Mom will likely have more to say, but I can tell you what drew her there if that helps. First, she really wanted to leave CA and explore a new place, but ultimately I think going to a place that didn’t feel 'scary" in that it’s small and community focused, was a plus (she never said this, but it’s my take). She also loved the students she met there on her 2 visits. Very down to earth, friendly and non-competitive. If I may stereotype, she has her Dad’s Midwestern sensibilities (my father in law actually grew up in Grinnell) and was charmed by Grinnell’s vibe. It’s also a beautiful campus and the relatively open curriculum was appealing to her. We especially appreciate the merit aid too :). When I went with her to Admitted Students Day I knew within an hour of being there that she was going to choose Grinnell over her other options (so much so that I sneaked off to the bookstore and bought her a Grinnell t-shirt).
Now that she’s there she has thrown herself into it with gusto. She’s made friends, visited with her professors, gotten a volunteer position and joined a club. And she is by no means an extrovert. For the first few nights she was freaked out by the partying in her dorm (she did not get sub free as requested) but quickly found people with whom to bond. So for a small place in a rural town, it has a lot to offer. My husband is going there today for Family Weekend so I’m eager to hear what he has to say when he returns.
Please feel free to message me if you have any questions! We visited a lot of LACs and my D applied to 10.
That’s great information @Dawnpaige. I don’t think I realized they did merit aid, but I’d imagine it’s at a pretty high bar. Sounds like my kid’s kind of place. (I think he’s spiritually a midwesterner as well, though he doesn’t know it yet.)
They’re generous with merit aid and now have a new set of offerings (this differs from when my D applied last year) https://www.grinnell.edu/financial-aid/merit-scholarships. It’s a resource rich college overall. Your kid should definitely check it out.
We never attended this event, but one of my kids did wind up at one of those 8 colleges.
We were fairly familiar with LACs in the Northeast.
What I like about the “best of the 8” is that it exposes families to excellent LACs that might be a little less familiar than Amherst or Williams. Too bad none of the fine Southern LACs (like Davidson or Rhodes) are represented.
Colorado College turned out to be a wonderful experience for my S. It offers a level of academic quality and financial aid comparable to some of the NESCAC liberal arts colleges, but in a setting some students would find more interesting (not only for the recreation, but also for the hands-on field work opportunities in geology, environmental science, anthropology, or life sciences.)
Travel to and from Colorado Springs (or the Twin Cities, or rural Iowa) may be an issue for some families closer to either coast. The 8-college road shows are a good opportunity to investigate whether you even want to consider these schools.
Colorado College’s one-class-at-a-time approach intrigued me. I think I would have liked that as a student myself. But my kid was turned off by the set-up – it seems that sort of immersion could work well for many subjects, but I wondered how well it would work for subjects requiring rehearsal and skill-building over time. Also, there’s something to be said for variety. It can be a relief to turn your attention from your problem sets to your history reading and vice versa. But obviously it works well for many, including your kid.
Returning to the more general topic of the presentations, it was a really efficient way to learn about the differences and similarities amongst these terrific schools.